Cloud of uncertainty hovers over NG Eagle, Arik

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has sought answers and explanations to the alleged movement of assets including personnel of Arik Air under receivership of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to a proposed NG Eagle Airline without the resolution of all labour related matters.

The union which welcomed the proposed set up of a new carrier because of job creation the venture would attract, and provision of incentives for deeper business penetration and generally widen the Nigerian aviation horizon, however stated that there are ominous signs that what should ordinarily be a lofty project will likely run into a heavy storm being created by a thoroughly fouled and convoluted industrial atmosphere at Arik Air.

NUATE scribe, Ocheme Aba stated. “We consider it most unfortunate that an odd combination of AMCON’s egoistic, evasive and self-defeating tendencies on the one hand, and Arik Air’s unrelenting penchant for courting crisis on the other hand, as well as severally demonstrated lack of capacity/disdain for labour relations practice have evoked a perplexing atmosphere of forlornness in the airline”.

Under this atmosphere, it is practically impossible to be hopeful of any good thing. Hence, our misgivings concerning NG Eagle”.

The following were posers raised by the group which deals with the ownership of Arik and Aero with 60 per cent controlling share by AMCON, raising concerns on why AMCON would want to float another airline, describing the action as curious.

According to NUATE, “AMCON and the management of Arik have arrogated to themselves the powers to probate and reprobate on all issues pertaining to status of employees in this ingenious business melodrama, with complete disregard to subsisting collective bargaining agreements and relevant labour laws. Is NUATE expected to cheer them on to the neglect of its responsibilities and obligations to its members in the airline?

“If this conundrum by AMCON will lead to depopulation of the employed and increase in poverty, as is clearly established, shouldn’t one wonder why the Government and its relevant agencies appear to either be acquiescent or in actual aid of the furtherance of the obnoxious objective? Are we permitted to ask of our leaders the rationale behind the uninhibited aiding and abetting of this social-economic criminality?

The explained that it had raised the labour aspects before the management of Arik Air as trade disputes, and gave a condition that should the management raise itself to the needed open mindedness and heartedness,  they would be willing and desirous of resolving them amicably as expected of progressive social partners.

NG Eagle aircraft

They noted that amicable resolution of the matter would allow them to welcome NG Eagle with their solidarity song and pop champagne.

But noted that in the event that the reverse of the above is the case, “then we shall sing our Solidarity Song as a call to the struggle to fight for the rights of Arik Air’s long suffering employees. The ball is in their court”.

Wole Shadare